BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 173
As might have been expected from the Doctor’s enthusiastic character, he
took an active interest in the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge.
So long as his strength continued, he was one of its most zealous members; and
when the infirmities of age would no longer permit him to attend personally at
their meetings, he was frequently consulted on matters of importance to the
Society at his own house.
Dr. Erskine had never been in possession of much corporeal strength; and his
weakly constitution began the sooner to feel the effects of approaching old age.
Indeed, it is much to be wondered that his slender frame so long endured such
an excess of mental and even bodily labour as distinguished his whole life.
For several winters previous to his death he had not been able to preach
regularly; and, for the last thirteen months, was compelled to leave it off
altogether, his voice having become so weak as to be incapable of making himself
heard. His mind, however, survived unimpaired amid the gradual decay of
his bodily powers. His judgment was as clear, and his memory as good as in
his younger years ; and almost to the last minute of existence he maintained the
pursuit of those labours which had combined the business and the pleasure of
his existence. On the 19th of January, the day previous to his demise, he was
occupied in his study till a late hour. About four o’clock on the morning of
the 20th (1803) he was suddenly taken ill; and although the alarm was immediately
given, he expired, seemingly without a struggle, before his family could
be collected around him.
The funeral was
attended by a vast train of mourners, and an immense concourse of spectators
assembled to witness the last obsequies to the remains of their venerable and
much respected pastor. At the request of his widow, the Reverend Dr. Davidson,
who was an esteemed friend of the deceased, preached a funeral sermon in
the Old Greyfriars’ Church, on the following Sunday, to a numerous and
affected audience.
Dr. Erskine was married to the Honourable Miss M‘Kay, daughter of Lord
Reay, by whom he had a family of fourteen children, but only four survived-
David Erskine, Esq. of Carnock, and three daughters, one of whom was the
mother of James Stewart, Esq. of Dunearn.
Of Dr. Erskine’s voluminous writings we cannot here even attempt a bare
enumeration. They are, however, extensively known throughout the country.
His first work, “ On the Necessity of Revelation,” ’written in his twenty-first
year, and in which he had occasion to advocate some of the opinions maintained
in Dr. Warburton’s “ Di+ine Legation of Moses,” procured him the approbation
nnder the signature of “ A. C.,” by whom he was accused of favouring the views of the “ Illuminati ”
-a German sect, at the head of whom was Nicholai, a celebrated bookseller and publisher-either
through ignorance of the characters of those men whose writings he had patronised and introduced
to the notice of the British public, or “ with the view to revive the old exploded hue-and-cry against
Popery.” To the accusations thus put forward, Dr. Erskine, then in his seventy-eighth year, auccwsfully
replied in a pamphlet entitled “Dr. Erskine’a Reply to a Printed Letter directed to him by ‘ A. C.,’ in which the gross misrepresentations in said letter are considered.”
His body was interred in the Greyfriars’ churchyard.
174 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
and friendship of that distinguished prelate. His detached sermons, published
while a country clergyman, were remarkable for a propriety and correctness of
taste ; while his Theological Dissertations, which appeared so early as 1765,’
were full of masterly disquisition on some of the most interesting points of
divinity; and, in short, his whole works are distinguished for “precision of
thought and originality of sentiment.”
Dr. Erskine’s opinions in matters of Church polity are at once known from
the prominent position which he maintained for many years as leader of the
popular party in the General Assembly, in opposition to his old schoolfellow,
Dr. Robertson. In state politics he was equally bold and independent in his
views. In 1769,‘ on the breach with America, he published a discourse entitled
‘‘ Shall I go to war with my American brethren ?” which is said to have given
great offence to some of those in high quarters at the time, and was considered
as treasonable by many. It is even said the Doctor could get no bookseller
to run the risk of publication, which seems to be corroborated by the fact
that the sermon was actually published in London without any publisher’s
imprint being attached to it. The discourse, however, was reprinted at Edinburgh
in 1776, with the author’s name, and the addition of a preface and
appendix, even more in opposition to the views of government than the discourse
itself. On the subject of the American war he was strongly opposed to the
sentiments of Rlr. Wesley, who was a warm defender of the somewhat questionable
policy pursued by the ministers of that ruinous period. He was opposed
also to the constitution afterwards given to Canada, conceiving that the Roman
Catholic religion had been too much favoured; and, in 1778, he was equally
opposed to the attempt then made to repeal certain enactments against the
Catholics of Great Eritain, on which subject he entered into a correspondence
with Mr. Burke, which was published. Without reference to their merits, the
political sentiments of Dr. Erskine were at least entitled to respect, from the
conscientiousness with which they were entertained, and the independence with
which they were asserted.
As a man, Dr. Erskine was remarkable for the simplicity of his manner, and
in his conduct exhibited a genuine example of that humility and charitableness
so prominent in the character of Christianity. He was ardent and benevolent
in his disposition, and his affections were lasting and sincere. In proof of
this, his continued friendship for his opponent, Dr. Robertson, is instanced as a
noble example, The moderate, and perhaps somewhat liberal, views of the latter
gentleman respecting the repeal of the penal statutes against the Catholics in
Scotland, had so highly incensed the mob of Edinburgh in 17 7 8, that a furious
party had actually assembled in the College-yard for the purpose of demolishing
the house of the Principal, which they would in all probability have done, in
These were-“ Mr. Wesley’s Principles Detected ; or a Defence of the Preface to the Edinburgh
edition of ‘ Aspaaio Vindicated,’ in answer to Mr. Kershaw’s Appeal.”-“ Theological Dissertations,
(1.) On the Nature of the Sinai Covenant. (2.) On the Character and Privileges of the Apostolic
Churches. (3.) On the Nature of Saving FaitL”
